The Brave
by WinterSky101
Summary: Thirteen years after the fight against the Wood, Agnieszka asks Kasia to visit her, and Kasia… Kasia can't. Kasia/Alosha, Kasia/Agnieszka, background Agnieszka/Sarkan.


**According to a tweet by Naomi Novik, the magic language in Uprooted is derived from Finnish and Hungarian. Since I don't know exactly how Naomi Novik's amalgam worked, the magic language in this fic is just a direct Finnish translation (or so I hope, I did have to rely on Google Translate for it).**

* * *

_Dearest Kasia,_

_I can't believe Marisha is already going to be married! When I heard the news, I thought for sure she was too young, but I suppose it has been thirteen years since we defeated the Wood Queen, as hard as that is to believe. She's a year older than we were when we waited for the Dragon to pick a girl, so I suppose she's old enough to marry. I still can't quite believe it, though! And married to the prince of Rosya? I suppose the war's been over for thirteen years, and it _is_ a good way to keep the peace, but it all seems so fast. I'm sure it doesn't feel like that for you in the capital, in the thick of everything, but out here in the Wood I get very little news and often don't know that something's going to happen until it's already passed!_

_I suppose you'll be going to Rosya with Marisha and Stashek (who I should probably call Princess Regelinda and King Kasmir, shouldn't I?), won't you? And I imagine you'll be very busy until the wedding. After everything, though, would you like to visit me in the Wood? I miss you. I haven't seen you since Stashek officially took the throne, and that was nearly two years ago. And you've never come to visit me in the Wood. I'd love to show you everything. Please say you'll come!_

_Your dearest friend,_

_Agnieszka_

* * *

Kasia looked down at the letter in her hands, rereading it once more. She'd read it so many times she nearly had it memorized. Agnieszka would be waiting for an answer, she knew, but instead of penning a response, she just read the letter over and over again.

Finally, she folded it carefully - she'd done so so many times that the paper was beginning to grow weak and tender along the creases - and tucked the letter back in the envelope it came in. It was addressed to her in Agnieszka's strong hand, and there was a smear of dirt along the corner. Kasia brushed her thumb along it, then she tucked the letter inside her jacket and left her room.

Almost without her meaning them to, her feet took her to Alosha's room. Kasia and Alosha spent the nights together more often than not, in one bed or the other. It had started eight years ago when Kasia realized in a panic that she hadn't aged a day since Agnieszka took her out of the heart-tree five years before. "How do you bear it?" she'd asked Alosha when she burst into her room and demanded to know if she was as ageless as witches and wizards.

"You learn to live with it," Alosha had replied. "You learn to appreciate the fleetness of mortal lives, and you make friends with other people who understand what you're going through. You're lucky. You have Agnieszka and Sarkan already."

"And you," Kasia had added automatically. She'd wanted to take the words back a moment after she said them, horrified at the presumption - what if there was a _reason_ Alosha hadn't named herself? - but Alosha had merely smiled a gentler smile than Kasia had ever seen on her face before.

"And me," she'd agreed, and she'd pressed a gentle kiss to Kasia's forehead. It had sent a swell of warmth through Kasia's body, and almost before she knew what she was doing, Kasia had leaned forward and pressed a kiss of her own to Alosha's lips. They'd fallen into Alosha's bed together, and since then, they had made a habit of it.

But Kasia wasn't going to Alosha's room to sleep with her. She didn't think she'd be able to sleep at all. Agnieszka's question was still bouncing around in her head, and she couldn't stop thinking about it. Agnieszka wanted Kasia to visit her.

She wanted Kasia to visit her in the _Wood_.

"What's wrong?" Alosha asked the second she opened the door to see Kasia on the other side. "You look horrible."

"I got a letter from Nieshka," Kasia said. "She… She wants me to visit her."

"Well, you've barely visited her in the past thirteen years, haven't you?" Alosha asked, moving to the side to let Kasia in. "It's only natural that she would want to see you."

"She wants me to visit her in the _Wood_," Kasia explained.

Kasia could see the moment Alosha put the pieces together. She'd heard Kasia's nightmares, she knew about how the mere thought of going into the Wood could make such a horrible terror grip her that she could hardly breathe. She knew why Kasia couldn't visit Agnieszka, not there.

"Tell her," Alosha said, gently leading Kasia to the edge of the bed and sitting her down. "She'll understand."

"Nieshka has been living in the Wood for the past thirteen years," Kasia retorted. "And she suffered there as much as I did. If she can stand it, I'm not going to tell her that I'm too much of a coward to do the same."

"This has nothing to do with cowardice," Alosha told Kasia firmly. "You know you're brave, Kasia. But even the bravest people are afraid of some things."

"I hate it," Kasia whispered. "I hate the Wood, I hate being so afraid of it, I hate that I can't just _stop_ being afraid, I hate that I can't go visit Nieshka, I hate all of it. I just want it to _stop_."

"That's life, I'm afraid," Alosha said. "And I don't think you want _that_ to stop."

"I just want something to be easy," Kasia groaned. "For once. Nothing has ever been easy for me, and I just want…"

"You have time," Alosha said quietly. "Agnieszka isn't expecting you to visit until after the wedding. Maybe by then…"

"Thirteen years hasn't been enough to dull these fears," Kasia retorted. "You think a few months will do it?"

"I think you're not the type of person to let anything stop her," Alosha said. "If you really want this, I think you'll figure out a way to make it work."

Kasia slumped. "Maybe I'll just meet with her in Dvernik again, as we've done in the past. And if she asks me to go into the Wood with her, I'll come up with some excuse."

"Don't lie to her," Alosha countered. "She's your best friend. Tell her the truth."

"Even if it's embarrassing?"

"Even then." Alosha reached out and took Kasia's hands. "And it's not embarrassing to be afraid. Even the greatest warriors feel fear, you know that."

"The Wood is no threat to me anymore."

"You still have every right to be afraid of it."

Kasia sighed. "May I stay here tonight? I don't want to be alone."

"Always," Alosha agreed, leaning over to kiss Kasia's forehead. "You know my door is always open to you. My bed too."

It would be easier, Kasia thought, if she could bring Alosha with her to the Wood. She didn't think she'd be so afraid with Alosha by her side. But that would be too much to ask of her, especially in such a tumultuous time. Alosha was dedicated to her good kings, and Kasia would never ask her to leave them. No, she'd have to do this trip alone, if she did it at all.

And that, she thought, was the question she'd have to answer: would she take the trip at all? Would she be able to withstand the Wood if it meant visiting Agnieszka?

Well, she had a few months to figure that out.

* * *

The capital was busy enough that Kasia was almost able to forget about the dirt-smeared letter in her room. There was a lot to do in preparation for the wedding, and she threw herself into it. She'd be going to Rosya, after all, and she had to be prepared. They were allies now, but it was still tense, and Kasia wanted to train extensively before she went into a potentially-dangerous situation, especially if she was going into it with Stashek and Marisha. She wouldn't be able to protect her king and princess if she weren't prepared.

And then, a month after the letter arrived, Sarkan came to the capital.

He'd been going back and forth between the capital and the valley for the past thirteen years, first spending more time in the capital and later spending more time in the valley. Kasia knew he and Agnieszka had some sort of relationship, just as he knew that Kasia and Agnieszka had a relationship as well. Immortality was too long to worry about monogamy, Alosha had declared when Kasia first broached the subject of multiple relationships with her, and apparently Sarkan and Agnieszka agreed with that as well. Kasia and Sarkan hadn't ever really talked about their relationships with Agnieszka, but the situation seemed to be doing well enough as it was, so Kasia didn't think there was any point in worrying about it.

Worrying about any messages that Sarkan might have brought from Agnieszka, though… Well, that was something Kasia couldn't stop herself from doing.

She managed to avoid Sarkan for the first few days of his trip, and she was just entertaining hopes of avoiding him for its entirety when he caught up with her in the library. "Kasia."

"Sarkan," Kasia replied. She still felt a little awkward calling him anything but the Dragon, but it had been thirteen years, and that was long enough for her to switch over to a name that was a bit less of a title. "Are you here to help with the wedding preparations?"

"I am," Sarkan replied. "But I won't be staying for the event itself. I'll be here for another week, then I'll return to the valley."

"And how is the valley?" Kasia asked. "Still standing?"

A small smirk flickered across Sarkan's face. "It's much the same as it was the last time you visited, I believe. Will you be visiting again soon? Agnieszka said she invited you."

Kasia did her best to keep her smile from falling. "I haven't had much time to consider her offer yet. Everything has been so busy here."

"I'm sure," Sarkan replied, although Kasia wasn't entirely certain he bought her excuse. "If you have a chance within the next week, I could bring your response back to Agnieszka."

"I'm not certain I'll have time, but if I do, I'll tell you," Kasia replied. She didn't particularly like the idea of having such a tight deadline to respond to Agnieszka, although she knew the longer she waited to write back, the more rude she was being. She didn't _mean_ to be rude, and she didn't mean to leave Agnieszka hanging, but she just couldn't answer quite yet, not until she figured out what she was going to do.

"Of course," Sarkan replied with a nod. "Although, Kasia, may I say…" He hesitated for a moment, as if he were wondering how best to word whatever he was about to say, then he continued, "I understand Agnieszka has invited you to stay with her in the Wood, but if you would prefer to stay elsewhere, my tower is open to you, as I'm sure Dvernik would be."

The offer was touching in its own way, given how little Kasia knew Sarkan liked having people in his tower if they didn't need to be there, but it still made a lump rise in Kasia's throat. Was she so obvious that even Sarkan could see her fear?

"I'm still not certain I can visit at all," Kasia replied, keeping her voice carefully even. "I'm very busy in the capital."

"Of course," Sarkan agreed. "But I just thought you ought to know, you needn't stay in the Wood if you don't wish to. Agnieszka's abode is…" He wrinkled his nose. "Well, _she_ enjoys it well enough, but anyone who prefers a few creature comforts might find it lacking. If you'd rather stay someplace with an actual bed, my tower is available."

Kasia wasn't sure if this was really where Sarkan's offer stemmed - given how fastidious he could be, she wouldn't be entirely surprised - or if he was only offering up this justification as a way to salvage Kasia's pride. Either way, all she offered as a response was a strained smile.

"I ought to return to my duties. It was nice to see you, Sarkan. If I have time to write a response to Agnieszka before you go, I'll be sure to give it to you."

"Of course," Sarkan replied with a slight incline of his head. "I hope to see you again before I leave, Kasia."

Kasia nodded, then she fled the library. Her feet brought her to Alosha's forge, as they often did when she was upset. Alosha was working, and Kasia knew she had to concentrate too much to have a conversation, but that didn't matter. Kasia hadn't come here to talk, and Alosha knew that as well as she did. All she needed was to know she wasn't alone, and the steady beat of Alosha's hammer against metal was enough to tell her that. She sat and listened to the paradoxically calming clash of metal against metal, and she told herself everything would be alright in the end.

* * *

_Dearest Nieshka,_

_How is the valley? The same as always? Sarkan says it is, but he doesn't know it and love it the way we do. How is everyone back in Dvernik? Doing well, I hope?_

_The capital is a mess at the moment, preparing for the wedding. I'm very busy, but I know this is nothing compared to how busy I'll be when we actually go to Rosya. We may be allies now, but no one trusts Rosya an inch, so I'll have to be on high alert the whole time. I just hope we're not leaving Marisha in a dangerous situation. Stashek doesn't think we are, though, and he'd never send his little sister anywhere he thought could even possibly be dangerous (much to her chagrin), so I hope she'll be safe._

_As for your invitation…_

Kasia stared down at the half-written letter. She'd been staring at it for nearly half an hour, trying to decide what to write next. The beginning had been easy enough to write, with simple platitudes and court gossip, but the next part…

Kasia had options, of course. She could claim to be far too busy and say any visit was impossible. She could invite Agnieszka up to the capital instead and suggest they visit there. She could accept Sarkan's offer and stay in his tower, or she could stay with her family in Dvernik.

Or she could stay with Agnieszka in the Wood.

Sarkan was going to leave for the valley that afternoon, and so if Kasia were going to send her response to Agnieszka back with him, she would have to finish it now. The problem was, she still didn't know what to write. She wanted to send _something_ back, but she didn't know what.

"As for your invitation," she muttered to herself, "I'm terrified to go back to the Wood, but I'm too embarrassed to admit that to you, so I don't know what to do. I miss you, and I want to see you, but I can't bear to step foot into the Wood again."

Well, _that_ certainly wouldn't work.

Kasia sighed and picked up her pen again. _As for your invitation,_ she wrote, _it really depends on how much time I have off after the wedding, which depends on how the wedding goes. I hope to have some leave time to go down to the valley, but I can't guarantee that I will yet. I'll keep you updated and let you know as soon as I know anything for certain._

Kasia eyed the paragraph critically, then sighed. It was the best she could come up with, and it managed to answer Agnieszka without truly answering. It wasn't perfect, but it would do.

_I hope to see you soon!_ Kasia wrote at the bottom, feeling vaguely guilty as she did so, then she signed the letter, _your dearest friend, Kasia._ Alosha had asked once why Agnieszka and Kasia still signed their letters that way even after their relationship had become more romantic, but Kasia hardly understood the question. Agnieszka _was_ her dearest friend, and she hoped she herself was Agnieszka's. The fact that their relationship was romantic didn't change that. Honestly, their relationship was hardly different than it had been before they made that change, save the additional kisses and the new developments in bed. They were still dear friends, and nothing would change that.

They were dear friends, and Kasia knew that meant she should tell Agnieszka the truth, but she couldn't. She looked down at her letter and folded it, then she slid it into an envelope and wrote Agnieszka's name on the front in her picture-perfect script. Good handwriting had been one of the many things her mother had insisted upon, given that she was a Dragon-born girl and, they'd all thought, the most likely one to be taken. Kasia's handwriting looked nothing like Agnieszka's, which was bold and straightforward, just like her. Perhaps there was a metaphor there, Kasia thought, or perhaps she was reading too much into things in an attempt to stop thinking about what she'd actually written.

Well, she didn't plan on changing anything in her letter, and Sarkan would be leaving in a matter of hours, so Kasia sealed the envelope and left her room. She headed straight for Sarkan's room, but she slowed as she approached it. There were voices coming from inside, voices she recognized, although they were speaking too quietly for her to make out the words.

Tentatively, Kasia knocked on the door. Sarkan opened it, and as Kasia had expected, she could see Alosha beyond him, standing by the window. "I didn't mean to interrupt," Kasia said, although she'd heard the conversation and knocked anyway. "Sarkan, I just wanted to give you my letter for Nieshka. Could you pass it on to her?"

"Of course," Sarkan agreed, taking the letter from Kasia. "Alosha, if we're finished, I ought to pack my things."

"Of course," Alosha replied. "Have fun in your tower. Kasia, where are you going next? I'll walk with you."

"I wasn't heading anywhere in particular," Kasia admitted. "I don't have anywhere to be for another two hours."

"Then we'll go to my forge," Alosha declared. "Come on."

Kasia waved at Sarkan, then she followed Alosha out the door. "What were you and Sarkan discussing?"

"Oh, it was nothing important," Alosha dismissed. "Just chatting. Complaining about Solya. I'm more interested in what you wrote in your letter to Agnieszka."

Kasia knew that Alosha wouldn't care about the platitudes and the gossip. "That I didn't know if I'd be able to visit the valley, but I'd keep her apprised," she replied. "I didn't promise anything specific."

"Just tell her the truth," Alosha urged. "Agnieszka won't judge you. She loves you."

"She _lives_ in the Wood," Kasia retorted. "And she was trapped in a heart tree as well. She fought the Wood Queen more directly than I ever did. How am I supposed to tell her I'm too frightened to even visit?"

"The wedding is in a month," Alosha countered. "You don't have much time to come up with a solution."

Kasia sighed. "Can we talk about something else? Show me what you're forging. When will you make another magic sword? One that won't break after one strike?"

"I'll make another magic sword when we're facing another threat as dangerous as the Wood," Alosha grumbled, as she always did. "You had better hope I never make another magic sword."

"Will you make me my own sword?" Kasia asked. "It doesn't need to be magic, but I want something that's _mine_. The sword I carry is mine, of course, but it wasn't made for me. Will you make me a sword?"

Alosha's face, to Kasia's surprise, lit up. "I've been waiting for you to ask me that for nearly a decade. Anyone who uses a sword as often as you do deserves one made for them. Come with me to the forge and we can get started now."

"Now?" Kasia repeated. "Don't you have other things to make?"

Alosha waved a dismissive hand. "If I work quickly, I'll be able to finish your sword before the trip to Rosya. I won't be able to make anything too extravagant in that time, but I don't think you want anything too fancy, do you?"

"No," Kasia agreed. "Just something serviceable. And strong. And something that'll fit perfectly in my hand."

"I'll have it finished before the month is out," Alosha promised. "Then you'll have a piece of me to carry around everywhere you go."

Kasia couldn't help but smile. "Shockingly romantic for you."

"Apparently, the prospect of having a partner I won't outlive by centuries brings out my romantic side," Alosha replied, somewhat dryly. "But I don't know that most ladies would find a hand-forged sword particularly romantic."

"Most ladies are incredibly foolish, then," Kasia replied. "Forge me a sword, Alosha."

"It'll be the best sword you've ever used," Alosha vowed, and Kasia had the feeling it would be.

* * *

The next month passed fairly quickly. Kasia waited nervously for a response from Agnieszka, but she never received one. She trusted Sarkan to have passed on her letter, so perhaps Agnieszka's response had gotten lost on the way, or perhaps Agnieszka was waiting for Kasia to send another letter with the promised information about her schedule after the wedding. In her defense, Kasia didn't know what exactly her schedule would be yet, but she also hadn't asked. The thought of staying in the Wood still weighed on her mind, prompting more nightmares than she'd had for years. She'd woken Alosha at least a dozen times in the past month, sometimes with cries and, on one memorable occasion, with her fist. That one had left Kasia feeling horribly guilty, but Alosha just kissed her forehead and told her it happened to everyone. Kasia wasn't sure how much she believed that, but she didn't fight it. It was kind of Alosha to try to be comforting, and Kasia wasn't going to argue with her about it.

Alosha was still working on Kasia's sword, although she did occasionally have to work on other projects as well. Kasia's took precedence, though, no matter how many times Kasia told her it didn't really need to be done for the trip to Rosya. Alosha was determined to stick to her self-imposed deadline, and Kasia knew better than to try to talk her out of it. Sometimes, she could talk Alosha around, but that never went well when it was something related to the forge. Alosha was the sole authority there, and it never went well when Kasia forgot that.

Finally, the day before the trip to Rosya arrived. The castle was a flurry of excited movement, of course, but Kasia was calmer than most of the other people who were going on the trip. She'd done enough traveling that it wasn't a big deal to her anymore, and she wasn't in charge of preparing things for anyone else. In an attempt to avoid the chaos, she went down to Alosha's forge, which was much the same as it always was. Alosha was never one to be swayed by the whims of the court; even when everyone else was in a tizzy, she would be as placid as ever.

Unfortunately, the moment Kasia entered the forge, Alosha shooed her out. "I'm finishing your sword today, and I want it to be a surprise," she declared. "I'll give it to you tonight. Until then, find somewhere else to be."

With nowhere better to be, Kasia sighed and went to the training grounds. Her skills had come a long way in the past thirteen years, and her swordsmanship was now on par with or better than most of the other soldiers in the realm, but that was no excuse to stop practicing. The training grounds also had the bonus of being almost entirely unaffected by the chaos, except when harried courtiers scurried past them on their way from one place to another. Kasia sparred with a few other soldiers, then she practiced her archery, which was far worse than her swordsmanship. She was more than strong enough to pull back the string on any bow she was offered, but her aim often left something to be desired. Agnieszka had laughed, she remembered, when Kasia had told her years ago about how her archery teacher disdained of her and had finally declared she ought to stick to sword fighting and leave bows to people who could aim them. Her aim had improved a big since then, but not by much. Hitting the center of a target was still reason for celebration, and that in and of itself, as any experienced archer would tell her, showed her ineptitude. It didn't matter much to Kasia, since archery wasn't in her job description, but nor did it hurt to try to better her skills if she had the chance.

When the sky began to grow darker and Kasia realized she'd practiced straight through lunch and up until dinner, she finally left the training grounds and returned to the castle. She didn't sweat anymore, but she still liked to bathe and change her clothes after a day of training, so she went up to her room and did exactly that. She bathed in cold water, as she always did, given that the cold didn't bother her and thus she didn't see the point in spending the time and energy to heat up the water. The way she experienced temperature was another new thing she'd had to get used to over the years. She could still feel hot and cold, but neither felt particularly pleasant or unpleasant. Temperature was no longer much of a concern for her, as she supposed it wasn't for any other tree.

Her mind skittered away from those thoughts, but once she'd begun to have them, it was always harder to make them go away again. Agnieszka's invitation meant the Wood was on Kasia's mind more than usual, and that meant she went through moments where she felt as awkward in her body as she had thirteen years ago, when she first woke up to find that she'd been transformed by a magic she could never understand. It had been over a decade, and she still didn't really understand it. She'd gotten closer to coming to peace with it, but…

Well, if she'd truly come to peace with it, it wouldn't be so hard for her to go to the Wood, now would it?

Kasia shook herself sharply and climbed out of the bath, wrapping up in a towel. Her skin dried easily now, the water beading and running off as easily as it would run off treated wood. She tried not to think about it too much as she dried her hair, which still retained moisture similarly to how human hair did, and dressed in simple clothes. She supposed she ought to go eat a late dinner, but she was hardly hungry. She was just debating with herself whether she'd go at all when there was a knock at her door.

"Kasia? I finished your sword!"

Kasia crossed the door and opened it, letting Alosha in. She was more excited than usual, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet, and she was holding a sheathed sword.

"Tell me what you think," she said, passing it over to Kasia. "If there's anything wrong, I'll go fix it now."

Kasia looked over the sheathed sword. Without even drawing the blade, she could tell it was elegantly made, but it was still simple enough. The sheath was unadorned, and the hilt was plain, but Kasia had never particularly liked elaborate swords anyway. She took a step away from Alosha, then she unsheathed the sword. Just as she knew it would be, it was simple but beautiful. The balance was perfect, as it always seemed to be with Alosha's swords, and the blade gleamed in the light.

"It's perfect," Kasia said, giving the sword a few practice swings. "Just as I knew it would be."

"Look at the blade," Alosha told her. "There's a message for you."

Kasia took a closer look at the blade. Sure enough, although it was mostly plain, there were letters etched into the metal, spelling out a word Kasia didn't understand.

"Rohkea?"

"When a witch or wizard is added to the list, they're given a new name," Alosha explained. "Our names come from the language of magic. Mine, as you know, means Sword, while Sarkan means Dragon and Solya means Falcon. This" - she lay a hand on the blade - "is what I think your name would be."

"The Tree?" Kasia asked, making sure her voice didn't wobble at all. "The Wooden?"

Alosha shook her head. "The Brave."

Kasia looked down at the delicately etched letters. "I don't know if I deserve that."

"I know you do," Alosha replied. "And I wrote it on your sword to remind you. You are brave, Kasia. You are one of the bravest people I know. But sometimes, it's alright to be afraid. It doesn't make you lesser to admit you have fears. Sometimes, admitting that is the bravest thing you can do."

Kasia kept her eyes on the sword, not daring to look up. "I'm afraid of the Wood," she said quietly.

"That's alright."

"I don't think I want to go there."

"You don't have to."

Kasia sighed. "I should tell Nieshka, shouldn't I?"

Alosha kissed her forehead. "Do what you think is right."

Finally, Kasia sheathed the sword and looked up. "Would you mind giving me a little while alone? I think I have some letters to write."

Alosha smiled. "You can have as much time as you want. You know where to find me when you're done."

Kasia set the sword down on her bed and went over to her desk. She took out a sheet of paper and addressed it to Agnieszka, and after a moment's thought, she took out another sheet of paper and jotted down a quick note to Sarkan. Then she returned to Agnieszka's letter, and she began to write.

When she finally finished, Kasia folded both letters and slipped them into envelopes, then she addressed them and set them aside to post the next day. Then, she headed for Alosha's room. If she wanted any hope of sleeping that night, she knew it would be best if she weren't alone.

It had grown late while Kasia was writing the letters, so Alosha was already in her bed when Kasia crept into the room and into the bed. Alosha let out a quiet, sleepy sigh and kissed the top of Kasia's head.

"Did you write to Agnieszka?"

"I did."

"Good." Alosha pulled Kasia closer to her. "I'll miss you when you're gone."

"I'll miss you too," Kasia replied. "Do you think you could come with me to visit Nieshka someday? I think I might be able to face the Wood if you were with me."

There was silence for a moment, then Alosha's lips found Kasia's. The kiss was long, and when Alosha finally pulled away, she pressed her forehead against Kasia's.

"Of course I will. I love you."

"I love you too," Kasia replied. "Thank you, for everything."

"You're welcome, for everything," Alosha replied. "Now, sleep. You have an early morning tomorrow."

"Will you be there to see me off?"

The room was dark, and Alosha's face was too shadowed to be clear, but Kasia could tell she was smiling.

"Always."

* * *

_Dearest Nieshka,_

_I have a confession to make, one I'm ashamed to admit. I want to visit you, I want to see you more than words can express, but I cannot go to the Wood. It's been thirteen years, but still, the thought of returning there fills me with as much fear as it did before we went with Marek and Solya. I know you live there now, and I know it no longer holds the same dangers it once did, but I don't know that I'll ever be able to step under its leaves without feeling terrified._

_I know you live in the Wood, and I know you have no fear of it at all, so I was too embarrassed to tell you of my own fears. I know you were trapped in a heart-tree as well, and the Wood Queen nearly killed you, and so I thought that I had no right to be frightened if you were not. But I know now that hiding from fear is not bravery. Admitting fear is. So here I am, admitting my fear: I am afraid of the Wood. I am afraid to enter it, I am afraid to even think on it too long, and I do not want to stay there with you._

_I do wish to see you, though, so I have an idea for another plan. When Sarkan visited the capital last month, he offered to let me stay in his tower during my visit. I've written to him to ask if his offer still stands, and if it does, I will stay with Sarkan and visit you from there. I hope this arrangement will work for you, and I hope you do not think less of me because of my admission._

_I love you, I miss you, and I hope to see you soon._

_Your dearest friend,_

_Kasia_


End file.
